Overlap-joining machine.



PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905.

. H. ROMIINDER. OVERLAY JOINING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 27, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

/ Jnven $01 'P Mlzzeosses Q M PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. H. ROMI'TNDER. I

OVERLAP JOINING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION TILED JUNE. 27 1903 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M712 eases: 7

No. 779,970. PATENTEL JAN. 10, 1905.

H. ROMIINDER.

OVBRLAP JOINING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION'IILED JUNE 27,1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 PATENTED JAN. 1 1905.

H. ROMUNDEN.

OVERLAP JOINING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 27, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Jnvenlor: Ma/WM M'fnwsear I UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

OVERLAP-JOINING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,970, dated January10, 1905.

Application filed June 2'7, 1903. Serial No. 163,358. I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN RoMUNDER,.a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Bloomsbury, county of Hunterdon, State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overlap-JoiningMachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines in which under the action of heat andpressure the overlapping portions of sheets of wood, generally in theform of veneers, are forced into intimate union with each other to forma practically continuous sheet.

The object of my invention is to provide an efiicient, economical, andrapid machine whereby the overlapping portions of two or more layers ofwood veneer, whether straight or bent, may be brought under theinfluence of heat and pressure into this homogeneous union, resulting inthe formation of circular or oval wood-veneer cylinders, which arepractically seamless and which when thus constructed may be used forvarious purposes. This machine I call an overlap-joining machine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a machine orpress embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation taken from theright in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of part of Fig. 2. Fig. 1is an enlarged detail of part of Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a detail of theregulating device. Fig. 6 is a section on line 1 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 isa section through the casing b, eccentric B, and shaft (0. tory ofFig. 1. Fig. 9 is an end V16W- taken from the left in Fig. 1, showingthe scale and pointer.

Same letters indicate similar parts in the difierent drawings.

A A represent the framework, consisting chiefly of two uprights or postson which the moving parts are mounted. The main shaft (0 is journaled inthe top of the posts A A and driven from a source of power (not shown)by belting or othersuitable connecting means. On this shaft are mounteda number of eccentrics B B, each contained in a casing 6. These casingsare raised and lowered by the revolution Fig. 8 is a section (partial)explanaof the eccentrics and are connected with the upper press-plate Cby the joints 0 0. Through these joints passes a shaft Z, verticallyslidable, which is journaled in suitable journalboxes, as d, one beingshown in Fig. 8, and,

' as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, arranged to slide verticallyin the posts A A, said shaft bearing at one end the regulating-wheel D,which carries the pointer a. This pointer turns about the scale f, whichis fastened to the end of one of the vertically-slidable jourpal-boxesd, as by arms f, whereby the pointer is adapted to take a position onsaid scale corresponding to the upper plane of the material to beinserted between the pressplates. The shaft d carries a number ofeccentrics g g inside the casings it it, which form an integral part ofthe top of the upper press-plate C. It is obvious, therefore, that byturning the regulating device D to the desired position the upperpress-plate C, which hangs from the shaft (Z through the medium of theeccentrics g g and casings it it and is movably mounted in slides in theposts A A, will be raised or lowered into a fixed relation with the axisof the shaft a. E is the lower press-plate, supported by the posts orframework A A and by the extension or bracket F, which may be integrallyprovided on or detachably connected to one of the posts A, saidpress-plate E being movable forward and back by any suitable means, asby a cog wheel a, that is mounted in the bracket F and meshes with therack j, suitably provided on said press plate E. By these means thepress-plate E may be brought into alinement with the vertically-movablepress-plate G to bridge a clearance-spacein the framework and may beremoved from said alined position. Both said press-plates C and E' arepreferably hollow and arranged to be heated by any suitable means, aselectricity, gas, steam, or other sources of heating. In the drawingseach of these press-plates is shown as adapted to receive steam throughan inlet k and to discharge the same through the outlet Z, whereby thepressing-surfaces of the two press-plates may be heated to the desireddegree to act upon the material to be pressed. This material Fconsistsof two or more sheets of wood veneer with, I c 0 preferably, taperingoverlapping portions m m, which are designed to be pressed togetherbetween the press-plates C E under suflicient heat and pressure andcontinued thereunder for a sullicient time to enable them to set andbecome virtually integral with each other. One of the most advantageousproducts of this machine is a cylindrical tube Q, composed ofoverlapping portions thus joined together at one or more points, as maybe most convenient.

It will be noted that the removal of the lower press-plate E from itsalined or operative position, in conjunction wit-h the upper press-plateC, removes all obstruction to the clearance-space between the posts A Aof the frame, permitting the placing in position of a cylindricalarticle whose overlapped edges or portions are to be united by themachine. Then by returning the lower press-plate to its operativeposition in alinement with the upper press-plate said lower press-plateE is caused to bridge the clearance-space aforesaid, passing through thecylindrical article, which it supports during the joining operation. Inorder to remove the cylindrical article after the joining operation hasbeen completed, it is necessary to withdraw the pressplate E, which isaccomplished in the manner before described.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: The machine standingidle and the lower pressure-plate being in its outer position, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1, the overlapping portions of the veneers to betreated are placed in position between the pedestals, having previouslybeen covered with any suitable waterproof gluing composition-such, forexample, as a compound of glue and potash-and are held in the desiredcurved position by rings, clamps, or other means. (Not shown.) The lowerpress-plate is then moved forward by the cog-wheel 2: until it comesunder the top press-plate C, which has been previously set, by means ofthe regulating device I), to the desired height, whereby the overlappingparts of the material are interposed between the upper and lowerpressplates. The machine is then started sufliciently to rotate the mainshaft (4 enough to cause the eccentrics carried thereon to force the topplate down by means of the casings Z) band it /1- through the joints 00, and thereby compress the veneers against the top of the lower plate.The machine is then stopped and then allowed to stand, exerting thisfixed pressure until the overlapping veneers have assumed permanentunion, it being understood that the press-plates C and E aresufficiently heated by steam or other means to bring about the desiredresult under simultaneous heat and pressure. The eccentric pressure isthen released and the press-plate O raised, and the press-plate E movesback to its outer position out of alinement with plate C by the reverseaction of cog-wheel 2', whereafter the material may be released andremoved from the machine.

By means of this improved machine I am able to produce a large varietyof structures in which plates or veneers of wood may be joined so as topresent a continuous homogenous body which may be tubular and ofcylindrical or oval cross-section or a simple or compound open curve andsuitable for arches or other structures in which curvature of greater orless pitch is desired.

I claim 1. An overlap-joining machine which consists of a frame, avertically-reciprocating press-plate movable within and supported bysaid frame,over a clearance-space, an opposed press-plate movablysupported in said frame, and means for moving said opposed pressplateinto and out of alinement with said vertically-reciprocatingpress-plate, the said opposed press-plate, when in alined position,spanning the clearance-space within the frame.

2. An overlap-joining machine which consists of a frame, a press-platesupported by said frame and adapted to reciprocate horizontally througha clearance therein, and to span the same, and avertically-reciprocating press-plate movable within and supported bysaid frame, said. press-plates being adapted to receive between them theoverlapped portions of material to be joined, together with means formoving said horizontally-reciprocating press-plate beneath thevertically-reciprocating press-plate, means whereby theverticallyreciprocating press-plate forces and holds the overlappedmaterial against the horizontallyreciprocating pressplate duringcompression, and means whereby said press-plates may be heated.

3. An overlap-joining machine composed'of a frame including two uprightposts, a pressplate supported by said posts and adapted to reciprocatehorizontally through and span a clearance between said posts, and averticallyreciprocating press-plate movable between and supported bysaid posts, together with means for moving saidhorizontally-reciprocating press-plate beneath thevertically-reciprocating press-plate, means whereby thevertically-reciprocating press-plate forces and holdsinterposedoverlapped material against the horizontally reciprocatingpress plate during compression, and means whereby both said press-platesare heated.

4. An overlap-joining machine composed of a suitable frameworkconsisting chiefly of a number of upright posts, ahorizontally-reciprocating press-plate supported by said framework andadapted to span a clearance therein, and a vertically-reciprocatingpressplate, means whereby the said horizontallyreciprocating press-platemay be operated forward and back, a number of eccentrics mounted on ashaft suitably provided and journaled in said upright posts, meanswhereby said eccentrics raise and lower the vertically-reciprocatingpress-plate, and means whereby both said press-plates may be heated.

5. An overlap-joining machine composed of a suitable framework,consisting chiefly of upright posts, a vertically-reciprocatingpressplate, and an opposed press-plate mounted within said frame, saidopposed press-plate being movable in a horizontal plane and adapted tobridge a clearance-space in the framework, said press-plates beingadapted to receive between them the overlapped material to be joined,means whereby said opposed press-plate maybe moved in one direction intoalinement with the vertically-reciprocat1 ing press-plate forcompression of the overlapped material, and in the opposite directionfor removal of the material after compression, means whereby thevertically-reciprocating press-plate may be raised and lowered and theoverlapped portions of the material held and compressed between bothsaid press-plates, and means whereby both said press-plates may beheated and the overlapped portions of the material heated duringcompression.

6. A wood-veneer-overlap-joining machine composed of a suitableframework, pressplates supported by said framework and arranged to beheated by steam or other means, one of said press-plates being movablevertically within a clearance-space in said framework, and the otherpress-plate being movable laterally, into and out of alinement with saidvertically-moving press-plate to bridge the clearance-space in theframework, to allow the placing in position of the wood-veneer material,the overlapped portions of which are to be joined under simultaneousheat and pressure, and the removal of the material after compression.

7. An overlap-joining machine composed of a suitable frameworkconsisting chiefly of up right posts, a vertically-reciprocatingpressplate movable within a clearance-space between and supported bysaid posts, an opposed press-plate also supported by said posts andadapted to reciprocate horizontally and span said clearance-space, acog-wheel suitably mounted in said frame and meshing with a rackprovided on the horizontally-reciproeating press-plate, a main shaft (0,journaled in the posts and operated by suitable means of power, a numberof eccentrics mounted on said shaft a and contained in suitable casingsjoined to the vertically-reciprocating pressplate, a shaft d passingthrough the joints of the said casings and the vertically-reciprocatingpress-plate, and vertically slidable in the posts, a number ofeccentrics mounted on said shaft of and contained in suitable casingsforming an integral part of the vertically-reciprocating press-plate, aregulating device suitably provided, whereby the overlapping portions ofmaterial of any desired thickness may be compressed and joined betweenboth said press-plates, and means whereby both said plates may beheated.

8. An overlap-joining machine composed of a suitable frame, consistingchiefly of a base and a number of upright posts, and pressplatessupported by and movably mounted in said frame, and arranged to beheated by steam or other means, one of said press-plates being movablevertically within a clearancespace in the frame by means of eccentricpressure alternately exerted and released, and the other press-platebeing movable horizontally into and out of alinement with theverticallymovable press-plate and adapted to span said clearance-spaceby means of a cog-wheel suitably mounted in said frame, and meshing witha rack provided on the said horizontally-movable press-plate, saidcog-wheel operating the said horizontally-movable press-platesuccessively in one direction in alinement with the vertically-movablepress-plate, for the compression of the interposed material, and in theopposite direction to allow the placing in position of the material tobe pressed and the removal of the material after compression.

HERMAN N ROMUN DER.

Witnesses CARL L. FREDLER, WALTHER DANDLIKER.

